The moment you step out of the plane, Japan surrounds and saturates you in an almost tangible way - a bit like stepping into the warm air when you enter a department store in winter. As a visitor, one does not merely enter a different country, but steps into a different way of thinking and seeing the world. It's evident in the language, the architecture, the puristic design principles, but also in the trivial like the thousands of mascots, or the insistent cuckoo sounds of the traffic lights: It all emphasizes that here, everything is alive.
Having lived in Japan in my childhood and visiting every couple of years, my impression of Japan is a kaleidoscope of memories and travel stories. Japan's long history, its culture and traditions, its scenery - ranging from volcanoes to rugged coastlines, from dense mega-cities to tranquil gardens; its almost inappropriately good food, and of course, its people - trying to sum it all up is a daunting enterprise. Let's break it down. Here are a first few snippets which give a glimpse into life in Japan.
Don't Worry
Japanese train schedules are ridiculously precise. To the extent that a rail company actually issued an apology in 2017 when one of its trains departed 20 seconds (!) early. The company statement reads "We deeply apologize for the severe inconvenience imposed upon our customers" and adds that "no customers have complained about the early departure" - thank God!
Being German and a regular user of our rail service here, the article made me simultaneously weep and laugh. On one of my trips in Japan, I arrived at my train station 15 min before the scheduled departure time. Another passenger arrived with shopping bags in his hands. He checked his watch to realize he still had plenty of time. Without hesitating he dropped his bags to the floor and left the platform to go the shops in the train station and continue his shopping for 14 minutes. A couple, which arrived shortly after him, followed his example, dropped their bags and left as well, marking their spot in the queue in the process:
There is an undercurrent of trust in the system which is almost mind-boggling to the Western visitor. In most other countries those stray bags would have likely caused a major security lock-down of the platform or the entire station - if thieves had not taken care of the bags after a minute or two. This pervasive trust and the reliance on the fine-tuned rules and structures on which this society is built, have a calming effect on the traveler. Don't worry, relax, and travel stress-free through a country in which nothing ever gets really lost.
Be happy
My journey took me to Kusatsu Onsen. Located some 1,200 meters above sea level, the town boasts the largest natural water flow of all hot springs in the country. More than 32,000 liters of water gush out the surrounding hills and mountains - every minute!
The constant flow of the hot springs characterizes the citycape of Kusatsu Onsen. Steaming streams of clear water are channeled through narrow canals through the center. At one bus stop, waiting passengers could sit on a seat, take off their shoes and spend the waiting time with their feet dipped into the warm water. Walking into the nearby forest one finds the confusing combination of snow-covered hills and lakes of crystal-clear hot spring water steaming into the cold air.
I had booked a pleasant B&B at the edge of the small town. The boxy thing on the right hand side of the photo of the room below is a hot-air heating device. And that table with the blanket around it is a kotatsu - a hybrid of a table, blanket and a heater. You slip your legs under the blanket and soak in the warmth of the heating device situated underneath the table: Awesome. Japanese homes rarely have central heating, but they sure know how to keep everything cozy.
A bus took me to the bottom of Mount Shirane and from there a ropeway smoothly worked its way up to a bit more than 2000m. A winter wonderland with snow-covered trees awaited me. I took off my gloves to take some photos until the freezing winds on the mountain forced me back to the town, where I spent the evening in a hot spring to warm up again. The next morning, on my bus ride to the next destination I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my gloves on the mountain. In any other country I would have written them off, but as the gloves had some sentimental value, I wrote an email to the tourist office of Kusatsu. I had further reason to be optimistic because on the day before, I had bought an Omikuji - a horoscope - in one of the temples of Kusatsu. And behold! The topic "Lost Item" was mentioned on it, followed by the calming words: "Will be found."
And indeed, not only had the gloves been found and brought to the tourist office, the friendly soul there also arranged for the shipping to Germany - free of charge. I expressed my gratitude and attached the photo of the Omikuji to the email, pointing to the fact that the temple had already informed me that the lost item would reappear. His reply was a single sentence: "I am so happy!"
In addition
It's a country where things like this exist:
Awesome.